Back Issues: Happy Solstice!

Yesterday, at least for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, was the summer solstice. In a July 6, 1992, Talk of the Town article, James Albrecht described how mountain climbers in Alaska experienced the longest day of the year. Up there, come summer, the sun almost never sets.

Another climber, Tom, who had sidled up to the spread, told us he and Grace were of like mind about the solstice. “In Anchorage, we spend our years quivering between light and darkness,” he said. “I’ve never lived in a place where I’m so conscious of the earth’s tilt.” Tom noted that there is also a hike in December, at the winter solstice, to mark the disappearance of the light.

“Not that many people celebrate the winter solstice,” Grace said. “They just let that one slide.”